umpteen
adjective
Sam SwantekHarvey SteimanRoy HarrisSalman Rushdie
Did you know?
There may not be a gazillion ways in English to refer to a large, indefinite number, but there are definitely more than a soupçon. Many of these, such as zillion, bazillion, kazillion, jillion, and bajillion, start with -illion (as in million) and add a satisfying consonant or syllable in front for some extra oomph. The adjective umpteen does the same for -teen, with the oomph provided by the ump in umpty. Umpty, an adjective meaning "such and such" (as in "umpty percent" or "umpty-four") arose, like umpteen, in the latter half of the 1800s. We only occasionally use umpty these days, but you're bound to hear or read umpteen and umpteenth ("latest or last in an indefinitely numerous series") any number of times.
Examples of umpteen in a Sentence
Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
If Guardiola leaves City this summer, his ratio of umpteen domestic titles but only one Champions League win in 10 seasons will roughly mirror that of Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, who mostly managed when English clubs were considered inferior to their European rivals.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Roomful of Blues Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
Roomful of Blues has been one of the reigning East Coast jump swing/blues/roots acts since the 1960s, though there have been umpteen lineup changes.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
And while its uniquely colorful visual design and world-building differentiate it from umpteen other shooters on the market, its world is hollow and devoid of life — and most tragically, excitement.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for umpteen
Cite this Entry
“Umpteen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/umpteen. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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umpteen
adjective
